Industrial Utilisation: Technologies for Tomorrow?

Chaired by: Guy Verkest, Belgium

Objectives
The environment for industrial utilisation of gas is changing. Gas quality variations are bringing new challenges to industrial processes and utilisations: LNG, hydrogen and biogas could be available or transported in the grid and could create larger variations in gas characteristics. Renewables, and especially biogas, constitute an opportunity, but also a challenge for natural gas. Further, focus on energy savings and CO2 reductions make the rational use of energy an industrial priority. CHP development may help to achieve energy savings with natural gas.

Through case studies and examples, the session will present the state-of-the-art in gas utilisation in the industrial sector and will identify the actions needed to maintain or increase the present market for efficient natural gas use in this sector.

Content

• Study Group report presentation on state-of-the-art for gas utilisation in the industry, by Guy Verkest, Belgium.
• Case study discussions:
  • Rational Use of Energy:
    • Rational Use of Energy for steam and hot water supply in Russia
    • Rational Use of Energy for industrial processes in Japan
  • Use of renewables:
    • Combination of biogas and natural gas in Japan
    • (Further examples will be presented in our Expert Fora)
  • CHP
    • Efficient use of CHP for direct process heating in Italy
    • Efficient use of CHP for cooling in Malaysia
• Panel session with the authors of the case studies and moderated by Guy Verkest, with questions and answers from the audience
• Conclusion: recommendations to the gas industry
• Poster session: the session will end with a brief introduction of the authors of 10 posters. The remaining time will be dedicated
  to direct interaction between the audience and the authors.

Domestic and Commercial Utilisation: Appliances and Products for Tomorrow?

Chaired by: Martin Wilmsmann, Germany

Objectives
The reinforcement of the regulations on building insulation is bringing gas appliances to a new situation. Most of the gas market in this sector is destined for building heating and hot water.

The current technologies of central heating boilers or furnaces are not adapted anymore to new building technologies with lower heat demand. Further, renewable energy is increasing its presence and mCHP development may help to keep natural gas in the households.
The session will present the state-of-the-art in gas utilisations in the sector and will identify the action needed to maintain or increase the present market for natural gas in this new situation.

Content

• Study Group report presentation on state-of-the-art for gas utilisation in the domestic and commercial sector, by Martin Wilmsmann, Germany. With focus on:
  • Micro co-generation, opportunities and challenges (see also Expert Fora)
  • Innovative appliances
  • Cooling and gas heat pumps
  • Solar and biogas combination with natural gas (see also Expert Fora)
    
    
• Panel session: The content of Study Group report will be complemented with corresponding presentations of selected authors and moderated by Martin Wilmsmann, with questions and answers from the audience
  
  
• Conclusion: recommendations to the gas industry
  
  
• Poster session: the session will end with a brief introduction of the poster authors. The remaining time will be dedicated to personal interaction of the audience and the authors.
  

Natural Gas Vehicles (NGV): Methane - A Global Eco-Efficient Mobility Solution

Chaired by: Davor Matic, Croatia

Objectives
Recent changes in the fuel scenario may create a new situation for the NGV market. The NGV technology breakthroughs(efficient methane gas vehicles, hybrids, bio-methane+, methane storage, filling) and methane corridors may now play a vital role in the market development, and NGV may help to keep gas status in tomorrow’s households, compensating possible gas volume decline in the domestic sector.

The session will present the state-of-the-art in NGV and will identify the action needed to penetrate more rapidly the
technology on the market.

Content

• Study Group report presentation by Davor Matic, which will include:
  • Presentation of scenarios of regional NGV market development
  • Technical and commercial data base
  • Real life experiences, short overview
  • Conclusions and recommendations
• Discussion of case studies: some of the contributions will be presented and discussed
• Poster session: the session will end with a brief introduction of the authors of 10 posters. The remaining time will be
  dedicated to personal interaction of these and the audience. Emphasis will be given to real-life experiences, NGV technology
  breakthroughs, methane corridors, and off-road applications.

Micro CHP Knocks at the Door!

Chaired by: Jean Schweitzer, Denmark

Objectives
Micro CHP poses an opportunity for natural gas to maintain its presence for domestic use, in times when the heat demand is decreasing in the new building sector. Moreover, mCHP seems to pose an ideal bridge between natural gas and renewables.

The gas industry has therefore to remain alert on its development and stay involved on many fronts that will accelerate the integration of this technology in the market. The objective of this session is to present the technology’s state-of-the-art, and to establish recommendations to the gas industry.

The session will include oral presentations on:
• Technology state-of-the-art
• Gas industry activity
• Conditions for success

A panel discussion with the participation of manufacturers and speakers will conclude the forum.

How Renewables Will Support the Natural Gas Business!

Chaired by: Aksel Hauge Pedersen, Denmark

Objectives
The growth of renewable energy (RE) can now confidently be viewed as an established trend. But RE needs partners and natural gas has the conditions to be the obvious energy choice, given its combination possibilities.

This bond is also very relevant to the future development of natural gas, as RE offers the opportunity to exploit the existing grid infrastructure, in a future where biogas and hydrogen will possibly be gradually mixed with natural gas.

The session aims to provide a picture of the current state-of-the-art as far as combinations are concerned (what solutions are available today?). It will discuss the present situation (what are the main factors that will drive the solutions for substitutes for natural gas in the future? How to integrate renewables with natural gas?), and intends to lead to a conclusion on the actions needed (barriers, standardisation, technical, markets, etc.).

The session will include a presentation on State-of-the-Art for Natural Gas and Renewables, by Nuno Afonso Moreira, Portugal, and will be followed by a presentation of case studies on the following:

• Bio-methane and transportation
• Renewable and natural gas in Japan
• Renewable and natural gas in Spain
• Renewable and natural gas in Germany

To conclude, a panel moderated by Aksel Hauge Pedersen (who will be joined by other speakers), will debate the topic of this forum, focusing mainly on:

• Future production of "green" Natural gas - Biomass gasification etc.
• Transport of renewable gas in the natural gas distribution system - (biomethane , hydrogen etc.)
• Use of biomethane - Transportation sector in the future (biomethane and Hydrogen etc.)